Ashes 2017: Jonny Bairstow hits out at DRS for 'messing with people's livelihoods' as England toil on day three

Jonny Bairstow has expressed his frustration at the way the Decision Review System is being used in Test cricket, stating that a lack of clarity is “messing with people’s livelihoods and the game of cricket”.

England were angered by one particular decision late on day three of the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney, when an LBW call against Mitchell Marsh was overturned on review, after a small noise was detected on Snickometer as the ball passed the bat. England believed the noise could have come from something other than an inside edge, and Bairstow argued that there remains an ambiguity in the system that players find deeply unsatisfying.

“When it comes to the technology, it’s important not just for England and Australia, but all teams, that there is real clarity on the process, and how the review system works,” Bairstow said. “That’s getting Hawkeye matching up to the balls that are coming down on TV.

“That’s getting Snicko right, because at the moment it can potentially be picking up people’s feet scratching around the crease. And we know that Hot Spot doesn’t necessarily pick up every single edge that’s on it, otherwise you wouldn’t need Snicko.

“That’s all we want as players. The technology’s there to be used, but we need to make sure that the technology being used is of the highest standard, because it’s people’s careers that you’re messing with, people’s livelihoods, and the game of cricket that we all love. It is a frustration not knowing the exact rulings, and how it’s used.”

Naturally, Bairstow’s comments will be regarded in some quarters as sour grapes, after another day on which England were thoroughly outplayed, taking just two wickets as Australia surged to 479-4, a lead of 133. But in truth, England’s frustrations with the DRS system go back further than one incident.

During the third Test in Perth, England submitted an official complaint to the match referee after Mark Stoneman was given out by third umpire Aleem Dar on the strength of just a few replays, none of which they believed were conclusive enough to overturn the original not-out decision.

Bairstow was certainly in bullish mood for a wicket-keeper who had spent 157 overs in the field, insisting that his decision to go in at No6 at the end of the first day, instead of nightwatchman Mason Crane, was the right decision, and that he had no regrets.

“Absolutely not,” he said. “I’ve faced the new ball many, many times. You’ve got a nightwatchman padded up who hadn’t faced Starc or Hazlewood in his career. I had 18 balls to survive. I’m backing myself. No-one was complaining when I hit one for four two balls earlier. Live by the sword, die by the sword.”